


Deliberation and Accountability

by Lionfire42



Series: Jedi on Kamino [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Bureaucracy, Dubious Morality, Hidden Machinations, Indentured Servitude, Planet Kamino (Star Wars), Revelations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:41:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29827866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lionfire42/pseuds/Lionfire42
Summary: The Jedi Council debate the future of the Younglings (and their brothers) found on Kamino.
Series: Jedi on Kamino [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190609
Comments: 5
Kudos: 35





	Deliberation and Accountability

The modest beauty of the Council Chamber is muted today. Coruscant continues to move and breathe, but there is a storm on the horizon that not even the artificial weather systems can control.

Obi-Wan feels the roiling tension, and is starkly reminded of the aftermath of Naboo. It had felt like this then: grief and suspicion and confusion and the slightest tinge of fear, forcibly being released into the Force over and over again. The Force grows cloudier and cloudier; the Council's sight grows dimmer.

The Republic, after centuries of peace, is officially at war. And once again, the coming death and destruction will be at the hands of a self-proclaimed Sith. 

Master Yoda's ears are droopy, and Obi-Wan is starkly reminded that as numb as he feels, the Grandmaster must feel even worse. It is his former apprentice who now seeks their destruction, and it will be upon his shoulders who he sends out to take command of their...army.

By the Force.

_ Their army _ .

The Jedi are peacekeepers, not warmongers, and yet they are being tasked to lead millions of sentients—of  _ children _ —to their deaths.

And that's not even the worst of it.

"Long negotiated, we have, with Kamino," Yoda begins, and Obi-Wan already knows this won't be good news.

"They have denied us custody of their…'Special Commanders'," Mace intones grimly.

Yoda drops his head in acquiescence, and Obi-Wan feels sick.

"We are the established overseers of Force-users and their training within the Republic," Ki-Adi-Mundi leans forward, the brows on his enlarged head furrowed. "How can their claim override ours?"

"Master Sifo-Dyas effectively tied the stolen children to the Kaminoan Government, as it is," Mace's face is blank, but Obi-Wan can almost feel the barest vestiges of anger the Korun Master is releasing into the Force. "The purchase of the clones may have been confirmed by Darth Tyranus, but Sifo-Dyas remains as the primary contractor for both the clones and the Commander's, for lack of a better word, indenturtude. And since he is deceased—"

"—the contract legally remains in the possession of the Kaminoan cosigners," Master Plo Koon finished, his voice a tight rumble. "And they have now cosigned with the Republic."

"And we don't know what they have been taught," Mundi murmurs. "The skill shown at Geonosis was rudimentary but disturbingly controlled, in a lethal manner."

And that was just it, wasn't it?

The "Special Commanders" that had dropped onto Geonosis had wasted no time correlating the clone battalion that had come to the Jedi's aid. They were focused and deadly, utilizing blasters and vibroblades and the Force itself with extreme prejudice. 

Obi-Wan hadn't seen much of them in action, but he had taken a look at the captured video and the provided training footage given by the Kaminoans.

He'd seen a young Wookie brutally rip a Genosian's head off and casually hurl the body into another crowd of enemies. He watched a young human use the Force to slow another group of enemies as another human Commander sent a rocket into their midst. He gazed upon a young togruta duel wielding a pistol and a knife and using her powers to snap the neck of a Genosian that had gotten too close.

This was a group of Force users that had honed their abilities to be used solely for permanent neutralization of their enemies. They didn't treat the Force as a gift; they saw it as another weapon in their arsenal.

The Council was right to be worried.

Yoda taps his cane. "Under our guidance, these younglings must be brought. Protect from themselves, the Kaminoans, the Republic, we must."

Saesee Tiin frowns. "We cannot take them on as Padawans—they are far too old."

Ah. That argument again.

"Perhaps not as Padawans," Obi-Wan finally speaks. "There is much we would be unable to take the time to teach them, given our inability to remove them from the upcoming frontlines. But we will have a measure of their skills in the days to come and we have their psychological profiles. Perhaps we could...intern, as such."

"To teach the Force is not a  _ day job _ ," Tiin scowls. "It is to choose lifelong dedication to the connector of all things. We've dedicated our lives to understanding and vowed to pass our knowledge onto future practitioners of the Light, and you would have us pass it around to these...fumbling soldiers?"

" _ Yes _ ." If Obi-Wan's voice has a bit of edge, the rest of the Council tactfully ignores it. "As said earlier, we have taken on the responsibility of guiding young Force-users of the Republic, of which these younglings are included."

He looks around the room, making eye contact with each of his peers, to better impress his words upon them. "And even if we, for whatever reason, deem them not worthy of our knowledge, we nonetheless have a responsibility to them as  _ people _ .

One of our own took them from their families, and rather than bringing them into the fold of a new one, left them to be molded into weapons of destruction. One of our own believed he had the right to sacrifice a dozen personhoods, without consultation or consent. One of us, one of our 'wise practitioners of the Light' did that to these children. 

Even if we denounce his actions, are we so irresponsible, so callous, so  _ cowardly _ as to not accept the responsibility of them? Sifo-Dyas declared himself a Jedi, and died with a Jedi's honors. Ergo, it is the Jedi who must accept the consequences done in our name."

The Council is silent as they mull over his words, and Obi-Wan tries not to flush at the fact that he may have gotten a bit  _ too _ impassioned.

He blames Anakin.

"Correct, Obi-Wan is," Yoda finally concedes. "Of knowledge, to assume sole ownership of, arrogant is. Denial of responsibility, cowardly is. 

On precipice, these users stand. In war, the Darkness flourishes. To the Light, we must guide."

"And if it is too late for them?" Even Piell questions.

Shaak Ti's voice is tinged with sorrow. "Then we will do what must be done."

Outside the sun begins to set and the clouds have begun to darken and thicken. A few drops smack the windows.

The storm has begun and Obi-Wan can't help the sliver of fear that tells him the Jedi may not be able to ride this one out.


End file.
